chapter 16 social psychology Flashcards
social psychologists
explore connections by studying how we think about, influence, and relate to one another
attribution theory
we explain someones behavior by crediting either the situation or the person’s disposition
dispositional attribution
aggressive personality
situational attribution
reaction to stress or abuse
fundamental attribution error
when analyzing another’s behavior to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition
overestimate influence of personality and underestimate influence of situations
effects of attribution
judging people in court, explaining poverty and unemployment, evaluate employees
attitudes
feelings influenced by our beliefs that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects people and events. if we believe someone is mean we feel dislike and act unfriendly
attitudes affect actions
central route persuasion
occurs when interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts
people are naturally analytical and involved in situation
peripheral route to persuasion
occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues such as a speaker’s attractiveness
make snap judgements, more superficial
foot in the door phenomenon
tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request
start small and build
role
set of explanations about a social position defining how those in the position ought to behave
cognitive dissonance theory
we act to reduce the discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are inconsistent. when our awareness of our attitudes and of our actions clash we can reduce the resulting dissonance by changing our attitudes
rational: if i chose to do it or say it i must believe in it
chameleon effect
unconsciously mimicking others expressions postures and voice tones to help understand what they are feeling
mood linkage
sharing up and down moods
empathy
automatic mimicry
empathic people yawn more after seeing others yawn
conformity
adjusting ones behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard
increases when: one’s insecure, least 3 people, group is unanimous, group status and attractiveness is valued, culture encourages social standards
normative social influence
influence resulting from a person’s desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval
informational social influence
resulting from one’s willingness to accept other’s opinions about reality
social facilitation
stronger performance in the presence of others
on tougher tasks performance is hinders in front of others
crowding
jokes are funnier in a room full of people than just in front of a few people
social lofting
tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable
pull harder when you’re alone than when you have others on your team
deindividuation
loss of self awareness and self restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity
both arouses people and diminishes their sense of responsibility
people feel aroused and anonymous
more likely to kill or injure enemies when wearing a mask
group polarization
the enhancement of a groups prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group
discuss an idea that most of them either favor or oppose
can help to find faith or self help group, or, lead to prejudice
groupthink
desire for harmony in a decision making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives
you go along with groups idea in order to keep harmony so you don’t voice own opinion
social control
power of the situation
personal control
power of the individual
prejudice
unjustifiable attitude toward a group and its members. generally involves stereotyped beliefs negative feelings and a predisposition to discriminatory action
overt prejudice wanes and subtle prejudice lingers
stereotype
generalized belief about a group of people
discrimination
unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and its members
ingroup
us. people who we share an identity with
outgroup
them. those that are different or apart from our ingroup
ingroup bias
the tendency to favor our own group
other race effect
recall faces of ones own race more accurately than faces of other races
emerges during infancy
just world phenomenon
tendency for people to believe the world is just and that people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get
we teach our children that good is rewarded and evil is punished
scapegoat theory
find someone to blame when things go wrong to direct anger
mere exposure effect
exposure to novel stimuli increases liking of them
human face is not perfectly symmetrical so the face we see in the mirror isn’t what our friends see.
familiarity breeds fondness. familiarity is approachable
average is attractive
features that are not too large or too small
our feelings make the person appear more or less attractive
proximity, attractiveness, and similarity determine attraction
and we like people that like us
reward theory of attraction
we will like those whose behavior is rewarding to us and that we will continue relationships that offer more rewards than costs
attractive people are aesthetically pleasing and associating with them can be socially rewarding
passionate love
aroused state of intense positive absorption in another usually present at the beginning of a love relationship
companionate love
deep affectionate attachment we feel for those with whom our lives are intertwined
equity
a condition in which people receive from a relationship in proportion to what they give to it
both are free to give and receive
self disclosure
revealing intimate aspects of oneself to others
sharing likes dislikes fears dreams etc.
bystander effect
tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present
1 bystander will help. if there are many bystanders they will be less likely to help
social exchange theory
social behavior is an exchange process the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs
before donating blood think about time, pain and anxiety versus guilt, social approval, and generosity
reciprocity norm
expectation that people will help not hurt those who have helped them
we should return help and not harm to those that helped us
social responsibility norm
expectation that people will help those dependent upon them
we should help people who need us like children who can’t give as much as they receive
conflict
perceived incompatibility of actions goals or ideas
social trap
situation in which the conflicting parties by each rationally pursuing their self interest, become caught in mutually destructive behavior
as long as you both pursue best personal interest you both end up with nothing
people should cooperate by agreeing upon regulations, better communication, and promoting awareness of responsibility to humanity and world
mirror image perception
mutual views often held by conflicting people as when each side sees itself as ethical and peaceful and views the other side as evil and aggressive
feed a vicious cycle of hostility
superordinate goals
shared goals that override differences among people and require their cooperation
communication and conciliation
GRIT
graduated and reciprocated initiative in tension reduction - a strategy designed to decrease international tensions
